Happy New Year!

Finally!  Christmas is packed away, the kids are back in school, the coffee mug is full and I can settle down to write with a clear conscience.

The best part about taking a vacation is being eager to get back to work.  I was itching to write that I actually broke vacation a bit early and started the next Titus and Annie, C is for Centurion, on the way down to the beach.

But more on that in the next post.  First you must endure a quick December recap.

My "vacation" started with some storytelling at Mama's Coffee House.

I've never officially done storytelling before.  Sure, I tell tons of stories and act plenty entertaining during Science Time with the preschoolers.  But their parents aren't there.

I was a little nervous about acting like a goof in front of grown ups.  Turns out, it was tons of fun.  Not only were the kids laughing at Annie's holiday antics, the mom's were too!

Then Eli figured out it was my birthday.  She brought out a delicious tres leches cupcake with a candle.  I felt pretty lucky having so many old and new friends singing to me.  Eli is wonderful and I can't rave enough about Mama's Coffee House.

This was also the Christmas of Kubb.  We played for hours with neighbors in the backyard and made a few sets for gifts.  The fun part was painting the kings.  All the paint and polyurethane came from the recycling center.  We had to make too many sets in too short a time to use recycled wood.  All 2012 Kubb sets will be as recycled as possible.  Honest.

Christmas with the kids was fun.  I'm grateful that my son slept in until six this year.  There were other surprises too:  Santa didn't realize he bought whistling darts for the nerf gun and who knew my daughter would spend three days with a doll strapped to her chest with her new doll snugli.

The year ended with the most wonderful wedding I have ever seen.  There was a neat old house to explore in down town Charleston, lots of interesting people to talk to, perfect weather, awesome music and the union of two really warm friends who were meant for each other.  Just look at the get away car.  Need I say more?

Thanks for enduring the recap.  Now its off to work.  C is for Centurion must be written.  What's the rush? Feedback!  I have received professional and insightful feedback on the Titus and Annie series.  

Storytelling

Every career has busy a season and it didn't take long to realize that this writer/mom/teacher combination just won't work during August and December.

It takes almost the whole month of August to retrain feral kids, launch them in to the school year, promote Science Time and celebrate my daughter's birthday.

December is December.  Holiday programs, Santa's workshop in the garage and kitchen, visitors, vacations and birthdays.

The first year that I was brave enough to call myself a writer and chain myself to the desk chair, I tried to work the year through.  Anything written during those two months had to be deleted and the family (myself included) was frustrated.

Now I know to shrink down to two careers and just take a vacation from writing.  Luckily being a writer is the most forgiving career.  Even though I'm not actively submerged in a manuscript, I can still advance my craft while taking "time off."

This year winter hiatus I'm going to try a little storytelling.  Eli at Mama's Coffee House has been wonderfully supportive and is lending me a venue.  What a great chance to spin some stories and watch my target audience at the same time.

I'm not going to read from any of the Titus and Annie stories but all of that Christmas Around the World research for Book 2 will definitely come in handy.

If your in the Charlotte area, come on out to Mama's Coffee House (716 Main Street, Pineville, NC  28134) on Tuesday, December 20 from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.